18:30 LRN Newscast August 9

The state department of education says the average composite score for high school students taking the ACT was 19.6 last school year, up from 19.1 in 2013. Superintendent of Education John White says even though Louisiana is below the national average, the steady gains are significant….
cut 11 (09) “…expectations high”

NOAA now says there is a 60 percent chance of an above-normal Atlantic Hurricane season, up from May’s prediction of 45 percent. NOAA lead hurricane season forecaster Gerry Bell says wind patterns are conducive for storm development and sea surface temperatures are well above normal…:
Cut 7 (06) “will persist”
The prediction now calls for 14-19 named storms.

The controversy over how the pumps operated in the city of New Orleans during the weekend flooding event is not over. Michelle Southern reports..:
Voicer 5 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

The two men that were pulled out of a body of water in West Baton Rouge Parish while trying to flee from authorities were both from Jackson, Mississippi and had extensive criminal backgrounds. It’s believed they were involved in the kidnapping of a Lafayette woman. The main suspect is still on the loose.

17:30 LRN Newscast August 9

NOAA predicts there could be as many as 19 named storms this hurricane season…:
Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

The state says public high school students scored on average a 19.6 on the ACT last year, a slight increase from 2016. Education Superintendent John White says more kids are also getting college acceptable scores..:
CUT 9 (10) “college benchmark”

The search continues for the gunman who fatally shot a Tennessee truck driver during a robbery as the victim was changing a tire in a parking lot on Tuesday morning. Sgt. Don Coppola says 49-year-old Keith Odom was shot after he turned over his possessions to the robber…:
Cut 4 (09) “by the robber”
Odom died at a local hospital. His father tells the Baton Rouge Advocate his son was doing a job he loved.

School is back many students, which means school buses are returning to the road. State Farm spokesperson Kip Diggs reminds drivers it is never safe to pass a stopped school bus…:
Cut 12 (09) “hit a child”
Louisiana law requires vehicles to stop 30 feet away when children are getting on or off the bus.

16:45 LRN Sportscast August 9

LSU football coach Ed Orgeron speaks to the media tonight and we’ll get an update on injuries. Because of regular camp injuries, LSU started three freshmen along the offensive line for the first scrimmage on Saturday. Quarterback Danny Etling says Saahdiq Charles, Edward Ingram and Austin Deculus did well despite the lack of college football experience…
cut 18 (20) up as well”
Etling says Lloyd Cushenberry has been at center the last couple of days as they’ve been taking it easy with Will Clapp, who had shoulder surgery in January.

Former Florida and South Carolina Head Coach Steve Spurrier took a shot at LSU while speaking at the Independence Bowl Foundation’s annual kickoff luncheon in Shreveport today. Spurrier said you can have good ball players and still not win football games….LSU fans know about that. Spurrier’s last game on the sidelines was against LSU, a 45-24 loss to the Tigers in Baton Rouge.

The NCAA says Grambling State will not have to vacate its 2011 SWAC Football Championship. An internal investigation determined Grambling’s athletic program used ineligible players in eleven sports from 2010 to 2015, but it has determined that the 2011 championship team didn’t use ineligible players so the title will not be vacated. Grambling went 8-4 that season and beat Alabama A-and-M in the championship game.

16:30 LRN Newscast August 9

The State Department of Education announce average ACT scores increase for a 4th straight year. Michelle Southern reports…:
Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

NOAA has increased its projected total of named storms for this hurricane season. In May, government forecasters predicted 11 to 17 named storms, now they call for 14 to 19. Lead hurricane season forecaster Gerry Bell:
Cut 6 (09) “extremely active”
He says this could be the most active season since 2010.

Baton Rouge Police say a truck driver from Tennessee was robbed then killed while changing a tire in a parking lot Tuesday morning. They believe 49-year-old Keith Odom was shot after he turned over his possessions to the robber and died at a local hospital. No suspect in the killing has been identified…:
Cut 5 (12) “a call”
That’s BRPD’s Sgt. Don Coppola.

School is back for many students that means motorists need to be prepared to share the road again with school buses. State Farm spokesperson Kip Diggs says if there’s a bus on the road, school children are guaranteed to be nearby…
cut 13 (09) “…kill a child”
Louisiana law requires vehicles to stop 30 feet away when children are getting off the bus.

15:30 LRN Newscast August 9

The state department of education says the average composite score for high school students taking the ACT was 19.6 last school year, up from 19.1 in 2013. Superintendent of Education John White says even though Louisiana is below the average, the steady gains are significant….
cut 11 (09) “…expectations high”

Baton Rouge authorities are searching for the gunman who fatally shot a Tennessee truck driver, while he was changing a tire on his 18-wheeler Tuesday morning. Sgt. Don Coppola says this tragic incident claimed the life of a 49-year-old man…:
Cut 3 (10) “robbed him”
They believe Odom turned over his possessions then was shot and killed.

LSP in Troop C, which covers the bayou parishes, is worried about the uptick in preventable traffic fatalities. Emelie Gunn has more…
Voicer 2 (31) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

Bossier Parish authorities say three 18-wheelers collided with each other on Highway Two near Plain Dealing this morning. Deputies say it appears the first 18-wheeler stopped for another vehicle and the other two trucks hit the first one from behind. The truck drivers suffered only minor injuries.

LRN PM Newscall August 9, 2017

NOAA predicts there could be as many as 19 named storms this hurricane season. Jeff Palermo has the story…

Cut 1 (30) “I’m Jeff Palermo”

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The State Department of Education announced today that students in public schools increased average ACT scores for the 4th year in a row. Michelle Southern reports…:

Cut 2 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

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Baton Rouge authorities are searching for the gunman who fatally shot a Tennessee truck driver, while he was changing a tire on his 18-wheeler yesterday morning. Sgt. Don Coppola says this is another tragic incident that claimed the life of 49-year-old Keith Odom.

Cut 3 (10) “robbed him”

Detectives believe Odom was making a delivery at a Florida Boulevard warehouse. He was shot in the parking lot of the Longbow shopping center. Coppola says after being robbed, Odom’s encounter with the suspect turned deadly.

Cut 4  (09) “by the robber”

Coppola says Odom was transported to a local hospital where he later succumbed to his injuries. He says detectives are still trying to identify a suspect in this case, and they’re seeking the public’s help.

Cut 5  (12)  “a call”

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NOAA has increased its projected total of named storms for this hurricane season. In May, government forecasters predicted 11 to 17 named storms, now they believe we’ll see anywhere from 14 to 19 named storms. NOAA lead hurricane season forecaster Gerry Bell….

Cut 6 (09) “extremely active”

He says this could be the most active season since 2010. That year there were 19 named storms, 12 hurricanes and five major hurricanes. But only Tropical Storm Bonnie as a remnant low made landfall in Louisiana. Bell says they anticipate an extremely active season, because wind patterns are conducive for storm development and sea surface temperatures are well above normal…

Cut 7 (06)  “will persist”

There’s been six named storms this season. Bell says the chance of an El Nino weather pattern forming has dropped significantly, which is another factor why they raised the storm total..

Cut 8 (06) “wind shear”

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The State Department of Education announced today that students in public schools increased average ACT scores for the 4th year in a row, from 19.1 in 2013 to 19.6 today. Superintendent of Education John White said there is also a substantial rise in the number of students achieving college acceptable scores….:

Cut 9 (10)  “college benchmark”

The average score last year was 19.5, so it’s only up slightly for 2017. Leading the state in ACT scores this year is the St. Tammany Parish School District with an average of 22. White says the number of students who qualify for TOPS also grew at every level of the award this year…:

Cut 10 (10) “than did in 2012”

There were also gains among African Americans who scored an average of 17.5 this year. The overall national average was 20.8 in 2016. White says even though Louisiana remains below the nation, the steady gains are significant…:

Cut 11 (09) “expectations high”

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Kids are heading back to school, which means school buses are getting back on the road. Kip Diggs with State Farm reminds drivers to be extra cautious when a bus is stopped for loading and unloading. He says it is never safe to pass a stopped school bus.

Cut 12 (09) “hit a child”

Louisiana law requires vehicles to stop 30 feet away when children are getting on or off the bus. Diggs says motorists should always drive with caution and slow down when the encounter a school bus on the road. He says if there’s a bus on the road, school children are guaranteed to be nearby.

Cut 13 (09) “kill a child”

Diggs says buses usually move a little slower than regular traffic. Reduced speed zones are also in effect near schools and buses. He says drivers should consider that and leave a little earlier because if you get stopped behind a bus, all you can do it wait.

Cut 14 (12) “in your day”

10:30 LRN Newscast august 9

West Baton Rouge Sheriff Mike Cazes is certain the two bodies pulled out of the Intracoastal Canal on Monday are connected to a kidnapping case in Lafayette. It’s believed the men jumped into the waterway while fleeing the police…
cut 12 (10) “….out that water”
South Louisiana authorities are still looking for Lafayette businessman Lawwrence Michael Handely, who is wanted in the kidnapping of the woman. Detectives believe the two men who drowned were involved in the crime.

It’s the first day of school in Livingston Parish and kids are receiving free breakfast and lunch for the school year, because of last year’s devastating floods. Livingston Superintendent Rick Wentzel says the USDA is funding the free meals…
cut 5 (11) “…our parents’

The controversy over how the pumps operated in New Orleans during the weekend flooding event is not over. Michelle Southern reports..:
Voicer 3 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

State Police Troop C, which covers the bayou parishes, is concerned about the recent increase in preventable traffic fatalities. Troop Commander Captain Frank Besson (Bay-sawn) says not wearing seat belts and impaired driving are the biggest factors…:
Cut 7 (10) “the crashes”

16:45 LRN Sportscast

The Saints did not practice today as they are two days away from the preseason opener against the Cleveland Browns. But a depth chart has been released. Adrian Peterson and Mark Ingram are listed as co-starters at running back. It’s unclear how much they’ll play against the Browns, along with quarterback Drew Brees.

Tiger Rag Magazine is reporting outfielder Brennan Breaux is transferring to UL Lafayette. The Lafayette native struggled to get regular playing time in Baton Rouge and hit under .200 during his college career.

The 2018 LSU baseball schedule came out today and the Tigers will host Paul Mainieri’s former employer, Notre Dame. The Bayou Bengals will also host Texas February 23rd to the 25th. Hawaii is also coming to Baton Rouge for a weekend set from March 9th to the 11th. The Tigers will play at UL Lafayette on March 7th and at Southeastern Louisiana on February 28th. In the SEC, they host Missouri, Mississippi State, Tennessee, Arkansas and Alabama.

Contract details are out for new LSU men’s basketball coach Will Wade. His six year deal will pay him 15 million dollars a year that’s two-point-five million a season. The 34-year-old will be one of the highest paid basketball coaches in the SEC. Wade is also eligible for bonuses based on performance on the hardwood and in the classroom. The contract also does not include a buyout.

LSU basketball has added Randy Onwuasor from Southern Utah as a graduate transfer. The six-foot-three guard from California was the fifth leading scorer in Division One last season as he averaged nearly 24 points a game. He also averaged six rebounds and three assists a contest.

SWAC champion Grambling State is ranked 21st in the preseason FCS coaches poll after going 12-and-1 last season. McNeese is receiving 34 votes, Southeastern Louisiana is getting seven adn Nicholls has six votes.

McNeese Quarterback James Tabary is one of 42 players named to the 2017 Watch list for the CFPA FCS National Performer of the Year Trophy. The New Orleans native is coming off a record breaking sophomore season as he become just the second player in school history to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season.

09:30 LRN Newscast August 8

Governor Edwards meets with business leaders today in Baton Rouge to discuss ways to fill a looming budget gap. Michelle Southern has more…
Voicer 1 (30) “I’m Michelle Southern”

LSU faculty and staff are set to get a raise. LSU System President F. King Alexander says, each department will receive on average a 3 percent merit pay hike. Faculty Senate President Kevin Cope says this is great news for professors who haven’t seen a raise in years.
Cut 13 (09) “do their job”

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser has scheduled meetings in rural areas of the state to find a way to boost tourism in small towns. Halen Doughty has more…
Voicer 2 (31) “I’m Halen Doughty”

Jefferson Parish authorities have charged a 23-year-old man with two counts of aggravated cruelty to animals after allegedly stabbing his girlfriend’s dogs during an argument. Investigators say Marcel Evans used a kitchen knife to stab two pit bulls several times in their neck and backs, but they survived.

08:30 LRN Newscast August 8

Governor John Bel Edwards will reportedly meet with business leaders today to discuss what options the state has when it comes to addressing a one-billion dollar plus budget deficit, because temporary taxes are set to expire. Publisher of la-politics-dot-com Jeremy Alford says another special session maybe needed to avoid the state from going over the so-called fiscal cliff…
cut 6 (09) “…capitol up”

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser is meeting with rural convention and visitor bureaus to discuss ways to boost tourism in rural areas….
cut 8 (10) “…around Louisiana”
Nungesser was in Tallulah and Oil City yesterday. Today he’s in Opelousas and tomorrow Houma.

Congressman Garret Graves is concerned about flood recovery dollars getting into the hands of victims as the one year anniversary of the historic flood approaches. Emelie Gunn has more…
Cut 3 (29) “I’m Emelie Gunn”

The New Orleans City Council holds a special meeting today to review the city’s drainage system following Saturday’s rainstorm that flooded numerous homes and businesses. The Sewerage and Water Board says there was simply too much rain for the largest drainage system in the world to handle.